Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

Local resident and business owner Soala Wilson does a great job putting together a round up of Grey Lynn news

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Issue number 4

French Crepes Have Arrived
Welcome to La Cocotte, Grey Lynn’s newest cafe offering exceptional french treats and great coffee. Specialising in both savoury and sweet crepes. La Cocotte Creperie Francais 576 Great North Road Grey Lynn (09) 378 6700

Grey Lynn Residents Association

Auckland Draft Unitary Plan
Do you fancy a six-storey apartment building next door? The Draft Unitary Plan has been designed to increase housing density to accommodate a million additional residents by 2030, as projected by the Auckland Council.
The Plan is currently at draft stage and Aucklanders are encouraged to submit their views on it to Council by May 31st.  Visit the website www.shapeauckland.co.nz
Help is available for any resident wanting assistance in filling out their submissions, please email Amanda Martin, Co-chair amandamartin@ihug.co.nz
The newly formed Grey Lynn Residents Association has a fact-sheet written by Grey Lynn residents.  It is designed to inform you about Auckland Council’s Draft Unitary Plan, and it’s potential impact to Grey Lynn, your street and your property.
Email amandamartin@ihug.co.nz for your copy.
Membership to the GL Residents Association is $5 per person. Follow them on facebook.

The 1914 Christmas gift box, also known as the Princess Mary tin was given to active soldiers, sailors and nurses who served in the First World War. Photo: Chrissie Taylor Collection

Grey Lynn resident Chrissie Taylor has inherited the Princess Mary tin from her grandfather N.N. Walker, who served in Gallipoli during the First and again in the Second World War.
During World War I, Princess Mary visited hospitals and welfare organizations with her mother, assisting with projects to give comfort to British servicemen and assistance to their families. One of these projects was Princess Mary’s Christmas Gift Fund, through which £100,000 worth of gifts was sent to all British soldiers and sailors for Christmas, 1914. She took an active role in promoting the Girl Guide movement, the VADs, and the Land Girls.
Princess Mary’s brother is King George VI, who is the father of our present monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

RSC’s were born when merchant seamen were not allowed to join the RSA following the war, we have always been an RSC – only Grey Lynn and Parnell RSC now survive. Many RSA’s and the other RSC’s have fallen over, but we still stand strong in our community despite being denied poppy selling.
Please walk in our doors and see what we have behind our fabulous old building, once the Richmond Picture Theatre, once home to Grey Lynn School…a rich history supported by a loyal membership and 85% locals like you.
Grey Lynn Returned Services Club (RSC) 1 Francis Street Grey Lynn

• New members and visitors welcome
• $30 Membership for associates
• $20 for Services Members
• $10 for Returned Members

We welcome the community and appreciate a growing local membership. We are different, we are a Grey Lynn precious gem. Please support us and use our facilities. Open 365 days from 11am. Facilities include:

• Bar, Guinness on tap, spirits and wine selection.
• Bistro Wednesday through Sunday
• Restraurant upstairs – available for hire only
• Full TAB service multiple TVs
• Full sports coverage on big screen TVs
• Live music Friday nights
• Pool, snooker table and Dart boards
• Function room upstaisr with bar and dance floor
• Off street parking
• Quiz nights on Thursday 7.15pm
• Fishing club
• Over 60’s club
• Historical Re-enactment Society (NZ) Limited- support the Grey Lynn RSC see www.hrs.org.nz
• Members cash draw on Wednesday nights
• Special events for midwinter Christmas, Sunday of long weekends, Superbowl, St Patricks Day etc

Anzac Day 2013 parade on Castle Street, Grey Lynn.

Neighbours Day

On Sunday 24^th March our group of Crummer Road neighbours decided to celebrate by getting together at Grey Lynn Park.
Fourteen adults and six children met at 3pm for a shared early dinner.  When we arrived we were all very impressed. There was a band on stage, people were dancing and enjoying the music!
It was great chatting together, sharing stories and meeting new neighbours who couldn’t make the previous get together.  Thank you everyone that came and Sarah Langridge who organised the music. Linda Andrews Crummer Rd street coordinator Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Support
Another Good Neighbour’s story shared this photo of their elderly neighbour who  presented him with a cake and presents for  his 80^th birthday.  He declined going out to dinner as he was too tired and just wanted to stay in and watch Coronation Street. Chrissie Taylor Millais Street street coordinator Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Support

Richmond Rovers Turns 100

Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club celebrates it’s 100 year centenary this year.  Located in the heart of Grey Lynn Park, the club was established in 1913 by a group of enthusiastic local league players.  The first Richmond team to play was a junior team on 6 April 1913.
The club has gone on to produce a large number of elite players in the NZ Kiwis, NZ Warriors, NRL teams and the Junior Warriors.
Centenary celebrations run from Friday 31 May to Monday 3 June. Visit their website for more information www.richmondroversrugbyleague.com
Your Business Name On The Premier Team Jersey (1 year sponsorship) Richmond Rovers are looking for a new sponsor for their Premier Team who haven’t lost a game so far this year.  A one year sponsorship competition has been set up to find a new sponsor.
Richmond Rovers will be selling 100 tickets at $100 each to businesses or individuals and a function will be held for the final draw to decide the winner.

• $100 per ticket
• Only 100 tickets available – on sale now
• No limit to tickets purchased
• Tickets available from Gus (see below)
• Winner will have their business name and logo on the Premier team jersey
• Deadline for ticket sales is Friday 24 May

Back a Winning Team – Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club Team – 100 years in your backyard!
Contact: Gus T. Fepuleai on 096267617 or email: gusfepuleai@yahoo.com

Pictured is Sue Thompson and Jenny Webster tidying up Grey Lynn.

Grey Lynn Working Bee Update

The Grey Lynn Working Bee (GLWB) volunteers met on 14 April to tidy up the garden footpath in front of the Housing NZ (HNZ) Surrey Crescent Retirement Village on Great North Road. Some of the the residents, Sue, Elaine, Tina and Rob said thanks for weeding and tidying up outside their units.  It made them feel good that volunteers from the community and the Grey Lynn Business Association (GLBA) were caring for how the Surrey Crescent shopping centre looked. Soala Wilson said “Sunday mornings on Great North Road is a very busy time for people going to church, going to the cafes for breakfast,  walkers and lots of joggers.”
“So it took us by surprise when a young Pacific boy of 15 years old coming back from church stopped and offered to help us. We thanked him for his kindness but didn’t want him to get his church clothes dirty.” Thank you to Grey Lynn newcomer La Cocotte Café for sponsoring lunch. You can find them 576 Great North Road so pop in and say ‘hi’ to owner John and Lidie Vaigafa. Next Meeting: Sunday 9 June 10am – 12pm Meet outside The Works Hair Salon

Good news ..

Auckland Transport contractors will now be keeping Great North Road area weed free and tidy.

La Fete – A New Collaborative Theatre Initiative

La Fete is a new collaborative theatre workshop launches in Grey Lynn. Sally Mabelle, an Auckland-based voice, drama, and communication teacher has launched a collaborative theatre initiative focusing on Social Action in a creative, fun, and inspiring way.
The workshop (9 weekly sessions) will be held Wednesday evenings in Grey Lynn from 8 May – 3 July.
When: Wednesdays, 8 May – 3 July Time: 7:30-9:15pm Where: Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road Cost: 9 weeks, $188 Register:  email sally@sallymabelle.com or call 021 0222 8782 www.sallymabelle.com for more details.

Ling Chan owner of Bodyline Nutrition is a registered Clinical Nutritionist who gained her qualification at Wellpark College in Grey Lynn.  She is a committee member of the Clinical Nutrition Association and a member of the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation. Ling has a keen interest in children’s health, especially fussy eaters.  Ling is a mother of two boys and can understand and empathise with parents/caregivers that meal times can be a real struggle and stressful time.  Her mission is to listen to your needs and work together to make meal times an enjoyable experience.  To work with you to embrace healthy eating habits and make food fun. Bodyline Nutrition also supports a wide range of individuals; from students to busy mums to corporates. Support is provided with weight loss, fatigue, preconception, pregnancy, specific health conditions as well as regaining general good health and wellbeing. Ling’s philosophy: There’s no magic pill or one size fit all plan that will suit everyone.  It’s about finding a balance – make smart, informed food choices ‘most’ of the time.  Take the initial step to healthy eating.  With emphasis to making healthy food choices and keeping it in its natural state this will ensure you achieve your goals to healthy life and happier you.
Contact Ling m: 021 777 202 or email bodylinenutrition@xtra.co.nz

Auckland Women’s Centre

The Auckland Women’s Centre aims to provide affordable, quality welfare and support services, personal development educational opportunities, and collective advocacy on women’s issues. All classes held at 4 Warnock St, Grey Lynn (entrance beside Mamata Bakery in West Lynn shops).  For more information visit their website www.awc.org.nz
Haltha Yoga Tutor: Simone Barry Every Tuesday 9.30am – 10.45am Cost: $15 per class or $120 for 10 class concession card Bookings essential. Email sbonny@ihug.co.nz or phone 021 776 119
Skip Single Mother’s Day We welcome all single mums with children under 5 years old to our Skip Positive Parenting Event with special treats for mums and activities for children on .. Sunday 12 May 10.00am – 12.00pm, at the Women’s Centre RSVP to Rochelle are essential, as numbers are limited. Phone: 093763227 ext 303 Mobile: 02102937195 Email: skip@womenz.org.nz

Stories From The Community

My partner Al (Alan Robertson) and I brought me and our five children aged 3 to 17 to Auckland in January 1990 after landing his job running visual communication design at Unitec (then Carrington Polytechnic).
We rented for a month in Westmere and quickly realized that Grey Lynn would suit us very nicely: scruffy, colourful, affordable and more to our taste than the low-ceilinged suburban bungalows we had scoped, for example, off the Southern Motorway. In 80s London we had squatted and bounced around short-life housing so were determined to finally own our home.  Within the month, we lucked into the cheapest rundown house in Auckland, in Selbourne Street – actually advertised as ‘the Ugly Duckling‘, and despite absurdly high interest rates we got a mortgage with help from [our] parents.
The older kids started at the wonderful Seddon High School (now Western Springs College) at the end of our first southern summer. Life was always a struggle on Al’s salary with five kids and a mortgage. And unfortunately the child benefit was cut just after our arrival; the one financial payment made directly to mothers for being mothers.  So, because we scoured markets to make ends meet in London, our favourite was Brick Lane on Sunday mornings – we looked to see what was happening here. Avondale was my first attempt at buying and selling bits and pieces. Then a friend suggested Takapuna and the rest is history: a market-community of friendly folk delivering the best and cheapest in their various categories, rain or shine.  I also dipped into K-Road and Aotea Square markets, but with Al’s retirement and the kids grown up, we looked for a place to both live and ‘play shop‘ (which is how I feel about what I do). Fortuitously, my silversmith sister Carlina Goffe, who was renting a shop in ‘Grey Lynn Central ‘ (corner of Williamson and Great North Road ) mentioned that the old Fruit and Veg shop next door, being gutted, was super-cheap to rent. It made the perfect indoor stall! Then, out of the blue, the Irish Hep-C/HIV Tribunal tracked me down with compensation for a wrongful transfusion of infected blood product in 1977 following our younger son Jaime’s birth.
Around 2003-2004 I had already undergone a gruelling year of weekly pegellated-interferon self-injections to beat the cirrhosis I had subsequently but unknowingly contracted over the past 25 years.  [This compensation helped fund the purchase of our building].
Around then we learned through MaryAnne, the friendly and well-informed estate agent who had alerted us that the Sunde group were selling our building. We met their price, sold the ‘ugly duckling’ – not so ugly by now! – to our eldest daughter Alola, who with her partner were ‘ between houses’.
We acquired a stand-up ‘faux French colonial’ block at 596-602 Great North Road.  It was a close call financially, and took everything.
But suddenly we had ‘his and her’ shops on the wrong side of the street!  This was because Carly [Jo's sister] had finally accepted that the ‘dark’ side of the street (complete with the racket, fumes and raucous schoolboys of a busy bus-stop) didn’t really work for her elegant, upscale jewelry. So she was happy for Al  to inherit her shop for his cheap $10 digital prints, as she had relocated her workshop to her Old Mll Road home.
Our second daughter, Lucy-Mae, had already bought a house virtually next door and opened her boutique at the back of my shop to make and sell her ‘electric freestyle’ hand-sewn clothes – Lucy-Made in Grey Lynn.
Jaime, with his mate Sparrow – ‘Component’, ex-Cut Collective- have also set up their graphics studio in back of what used to be the aerial shop next door.  Our eldest, TO, continues to commute between County Kerry, Ireland and London, freelancing as Senior Technician at the Royal Festival Hall.
And finally, Leah our youngest, has moved into our spare room to pound out her Masters in film studies and video at university.  So I guess that means six of us seven emigre ‘blow-ins’ are happily grounded in Grey Lynn! Jo Goffe Jo’s Stall 598 Great North Road Grey Lynn

Local resident Barbara Grace, a member of Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away group, would like to see Grey Lynn plastic bag free as a step towards NZ dramatically reducing the amount of waste that ends up in the ocean causing environmental harm.

To encourage her neighbours to take reusable shopping bags with them she has put together a bag installation in her shop window at 101 Richmond Road.

Next time you go out there to shop

Remind yourself and first say STOP

Now have I got my shopping bag (I know it sometimes feels a drag)

A shopping bag of cloth or string it really is a lovely thing

Let’s rid the world of such things plastic and make life even more fantastic!

Every month Grey Lynn 2030 has a column in Ponsonby News. Here is the column from the May edition

Grey Lynn 2030 is our local response to the Transition Towns movement that started in the UK. Our group has kicked off and run a number of local initiatives including the Grey Lynn Farmers Market, the Grey Lynn Business Association, the Car Boot Market and even our local choir. Lots of street parties, talks, movies and fun! We have been going now for five years.

In a push to encourage our vision of community resilience and sustainable living throughout Auckland, Grey Lynn 2030 is collaborating with other Transition Town groups, Pt Chev TT and Mount Eden Village People, on a series of workshops.

Our next workshop “How to Establish and Grow a Transition Town Group” is a an opportunity for networking, learning from established groups and sharing advice on how to do something similar in your area. Ponsonby, Herne Bay, St Marys Bay, Freemans Bay Arch Hill -how about a Transition Town initiative? It can be as simple as a street sharing tools.

Everyone is welcome to join the workshop which is free with lunch provided from the Grey Lynn Farmers Market. The event is being held at the Grey Lynn Community Centre on Sunday 12 May 10am – 1pm. Thanks to Auckland Council for supporting the event and providing lunch. Registration is essential for catering purposes – Register withDebbie.Netley@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Draft Unitary Plan

A particular focus of the community at the moment is our local response to the draft Unitary Plan. We want to ensure the Plan responds to the special character of Grey Lynn with particular reference to its diversity, walkability – the things we love about our suburb. Our Grey Lynn Urban Environment group (GLUE) is looking at the suburb as a whole as we grapple with issues of intensification, affordability, sustainability and heritage protection.

What do we want Grey Lynn to be like by 2030?

GLUE and the Grey Lynn Business Association are working on a submission on Grey Lynn as a suburb within the wider Auckland context. A draft of key points is available on Grey Lynn 2030′s website www.greylynn2030.co.nz

The Auckland Council’s draft Unitary Plan is open for consultation until 31 May. www.shapeauckland.co.nz

Changes suggested in the draft Unitary Plan have led to the formation of a new Grey Lynn Residents Association. Many in this group are concerned about proposed “up zoning” in areas close to West Lynn shops for terraced housing and apartment development of up to four stories in height.

All of the streets affected predominantly feature pre-1940s wooden villas and bungalows in quiet, low-rise residential streets, many with narrow roads. Liz Hancock, the spokesperson for the group, believes that intensification is fine, but not at the expense of historical areas that give Grey Lynn its unique character. The group is coordinating a street by street response. The new Association points to Great North Road, a main arterial, as the place to locate apartment style residential developments.

www.greylynnresidents.org.nz

www.facebook.com/greylynnresidents

Fairtrade Fortnight is from May 4-19 and there will be a range of events around New Zealand to raise awareness of Fairtrade products.  From Fairtrade ANZ: “Every product carrying the Fairtrade Label has been independently checked against international standards, all the way from the field to the shelf, so you can trust that the products you choose really do make a difference.”  For more information about Fairtrade Fortnight and Fairtrade products, or to get involved, visit the Fairtrade ANZ website.

This Sunday, All Good Bananas will have a stall selling their extraordinary bananas.  You can find All Good Bananas at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market the first Sunday of every month.

Kurt the Coffee Guy will be at the market as usual, selling only organic Fairtrade coffee every week.

Rebekah from Hakanoa Handmade uses organic Fairtrade sugar in all of her products.  She is currently selling her ginger beer, ginger syrup, and spicy chai syrup on the second and third Sunday of every month.

Beth is a well-established international leader in nonprofits’ use of social media. Her first book “The Networked Nonprofit,” introduced the sector to a new way of thinking and operating in a connected world. Her second book, “Measuring the Networked Nonprofit,” is a practical guide for using measurement and learning to achieve social impact.

She is the author of Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media, considered the go-to source for how nonprofits can use networks and social media for social change. Beth has over 30 years working in the nonprofit sector in technology, training, and capacity and has facilitated trainings for nonprofits on every continent in the world (except Antarctica).

Named one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company and one of the BusinessWeek’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media,” Beth is Visiting Scholar at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation 2009-2013.

Worskhops

Saturday 11 May, Makaurau Marae, Mangere, South Auckland

and

1pm Monday 13 May, Fickling Centre, Mt Albert, Auckland

More details over here about Beth Kanters’ workshops

Grey Lynn 2030 column – April edition of Ponsonby News

The inorganic collection is currently underway in the central suburbs of Auckland. The collection appears to be an effective way to encourage the re-use of unwanted junk. Unfortunately, even though some useful scavenging does occur, the majority of what goes out on the kerb ends up in landfill at great cost to ratepayers. Take the example of someone putting out a broken washing machine. There are people in the community who could either fix this or re-use as many parts as possible. On the side of the road however the cord is more likely to get cut off for quick cash from the metal leaving the rest of the machine useless.

The Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away group have been promoting a plan for a network of local resource recovery centres as a big step up from the inorganic rubbish collection. The aim is to have a permanent drop off service so that the majority of unwanted stuff is re-used, recycled, fixed, re- purposed or passed on. The centres have the potential to create local jobs and develop new skills in the community especially for young people. A move away from the biennial inorganic collection also means much less waste going to landfill and valuable resources are ‘mined’ reducing the need to exploit our ever decreasing natural resources.

The group are therefore really pleased that the Waitemata Local Board has fully embraced the concept of resource recovery voting last month to support working with neighbouring local boards to develop a community recycling centre and the investigation of whether a council owned site on Normanby Road might be a suitable location.

In the meantime when the inorganic collection hits your street consider alternatives like using Freecycle before dumping stuff or check out the Auckland Council website for guidance on ways to reduce your waste.

The Waste Away group also LOVE zero waste community events. It can be a big challenge for an event to go to zero waste so the group are very supportive of organisers taking steps towards this goal. Once people have experienced a zero waste focussed event they tend to feel very satisfied with the results and benefits especially when measuring how much waste has been diverted from landfill.

‘Guidelines for working to zero waste events (2011) and the ‘Get your Rubbish sorted-your guide to rubbish and recycling’ are also available on the Council website. This information is really worthwhile consulting when you first start planning an event and helps get all the relevant people on board such as stall holders and volunteers. A crucial decision is the waste contractor for the event. Some are great at separating waste into recyclables, organic waste and landfill while others will just take all as ‘one lot’ to landfill.

Local events like the West Lynn Street party and the Richmond Road School Gala have benefitted from the Waste Away team’s expertise. They are happy to provide advice by emailing greylynn2030wasteaway@gmail.comor get in touch to attend their next meeting.